The Cannata Report's 2024 Women Influencer: Kerstin Woods of Toshiba America Business Solutions

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of dealers embracing solutions-oriented discussions by integrating software and services to enhance hardware capabilities. This approach leads to recurring revenue, expanding market share, and providing value-added services. As customers shift towards cloud technology and reduce on-premises hardware management, the opportunity for managed print services arises. Authenticity in leadership is highlighted as crucial, with the speaker's passion for simplifying complex technologies to make them accessible and understandable, positioning themselves as a tech-savvy leader with a unique contribution to the workplace.

Takeaways

• 💡 Dealers need to integrate solutions, software, and services for success, not just focus on hardware.
• 📱 The real value comes from the software and services that complement the hardware, similar to smartphones.
• 🔄 Embrace recurring revenue models by expanding services and software offerings to clients.
• 💼 Increase share of wallet by providing value-added services alongside hardware solutions.
• 🌐 As customers shift to the cloud, there's a growing opportunity for managed print services discussions.
• 🚀 Managed print services can help clients maximize print productivity while reducing their management burden.
• 🧩 Authenticity is crucial for a leader's credibility, especially in the technology field.
• 🎓 The speaker has an engineering background from Stamford and a deep passion for technology.
• 🤓 The speaker identifies as a 'techy nerd' and enjoys simplifying complex technologies for better understanding.
• 🔑 Simplifying technology is the speaker's 'sweet spot' for adding value in the workplace.
• 🎵 The script includes music, suggesting a multimedia presentation or a casual, engaging tone.

Q & A

What does the speaker believe is essential for dealers to be successful?

The speaker believes that dealers need to embrace a solutions discussion, which involves adding software and services to their offerings, as this is where the real value and magic happen.

How does the speaker describe the role of hardware in relation to software and services?

The speaker suggests that while hardware itself is impressive, it is the software and services that can be accessed through the hardware that create real value and opportunities for discussions around recurring revenue.

What does the speaker suggest dealers can do to expand their share of wallet with each client?

Dealers can expand their share of wallet by adding value-added services and focusing on recurring revenue models, which can be achieved by integrating more software and services into their offerings.

How does the speaker view the shift towards cloud services affecting on-premises hardware management?

The speaker sees the shift towards cloud services as an opportunity for dealers to have more managed print discussions, as customers will want to manage on-premises hardware less and less.

What is the importance of managed print discussions according to the speaker?

Managed print discussions are important as they allow dealers to help customers maximize their print productivity while taking the burden of management off their clients' plates.

What does the speaker value about bringing their unique self to work?

The speaker values authenticity and believes it is crucial for credibility as a leader. They emphasize the importance of being true to oneself and leading with authenticity.

How does the speaker describe their professional background and passion?

The speaker describes themselves as a 'techy nerd' with an engineering degree from Stamford and a career in technology, including hardware, software, databases, and cloud. They are passionate about technology and enjoy simplifying complex technologies for others to understand.

What is the speaker's 'Sweet Spot' in terms of their professional contributions?

The speaker's 'Sweet Spot' is taking complex technologies and making them simple and understandable to others, highlighting the importance of these technologies.

What does the speaker suggest is a key attribute for a leader in the technology field?

The speaker suggests that authenticity is a key attribute for a leader in the technology field, as it helps establish credibility and trust.

How does the speaker's passion for technology influence their approach to work?

The speaker's passion for technology, especially their interest in simplifying complex technologies, influences their approach to work by focusing on making technology accessible and understandable to a broader audience.

What message does the speaker convey about the importance of embracing change in the technology industry?

The speaker conveys the message that embracing change, such as the shift towards cloud services and managed print solutions, is crucial for dealers to stay relevant and successful in the technology industry.